Sunchoke & Sweet Potato Casserole

 

Hi! I have a large number of recipes in drafts, so I'll try to get those up. Hello, long time, no post. I joined a coop this spring, so I've been looking for recipes for vegetables I've never had before. This whole plate (except salad dressing) was from the coop. I essentially doubled this recipe from Food 52. This was so good! When sunchokes and sweet potatoes showed up in the box again, I made it again. 

Ingredients:

Cashew cream:

1 cup cashews (raw, parts & pieces are fine)

2 cups water, divided
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic paste
4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Casserole:

3 oz veg broth
1 pound sunchokes, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
1-1.5 pound sweet potato, sliced into ¼-inch-thick half moons
5 Tbsp olive oil + extra 
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp sage
1 tsp rosemary 
3 tsp salt
black pepper
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
 Nutritional yeast 

Directions:

Cashew Cream:

1. Combine the cashews and 1 cup water in an airtight container and let soak overnight in the fridge.
2. When ready, drain water from cashews.
3. Combine soaked cashews with 1 cup water, garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender. 
4. Blend until smooth. 

Casserole:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Oil or spray a standard casserole dish. 
3. Add veg broth, sunchokes, sweet potatoes, 5 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, shallots, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix.
4. You can layer the mixture in single slices and alternate layers. Or you can dump it all in and make sure the upper level is even.
5. Pour the cashew cream over the top. It's best if all the potatoes are covered.
6. Sprinkle the panko crumbs and nutritional yeast over the top of the potatoes, forming a breading top layer.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
8. Uncover, switch to broil, and broil for 5. minutes until top is golden brown. 
9. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
10. Serve warm.

Vegetable Rice Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown rice 

2 zucchinis, diced 

10-oz cherry tomatoes, halved 

2 bell peppers, seeded and diced 

1 onion, diced 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 cup frozen corn, thawed 

½ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup vegetable broth 

2 Tbsp flour 

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp nutritional yeast 

¼ cup breadcrumbs 

Directions: 

1. Cook rice if not pre-cooked. 
2. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Place zucchini on baking sheet in a single layer. 
4. Sprinkle cherry tomatoes and bell peppers over zucchini. 
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is roasted and tomatoes are shriveled. 
6. While the vegetables bake, sauté onions and garlic until translucent. 
7. Turn off heat and add flour, stirring to evenly coat onions and garlic. 
8. Stir in cold milk and broth. Stirring until there are no lumps. 
9. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. 
10. Once it starts to thicken, turn off heat and stir in nutritional yeast, plus salt and pepper. Set aside. 
11. In a glass casserole dish, mix together cooked rice, roasted veggies, and corn. 
12. Add sauce and mix again. 
13. Sprinkle with basil and breadcrumbs. 
14. Bake 25 minutes or until sauce bubbles and the top is toasty. 

Notes:

• Total Time: 50 min  Active Time: 10 min
• Per serving: 404 calories, 5.6g fat, 78.2g carbs, 11.3g fiber, 10.4g sugars, 15.3g protein
• I do not suggest making this in the summer. This is too warm of a dish for that.

Side dish: Ree's Green Bean Casserole

We did not have this at Christmas. I don't know why not. However, every recipe codex should have a green bean casserole. For years I had the one on the side of the green bean or French's fried onions can. We had the traditional American Thanksgiving feast on my birthday in early December. For that feast, we made The Pioneer Woman's Green Bean Casserole instead of the one in the codex. We have now replaced our green bean casserole with this one. While we didn't have this at the Christmas dinner, it is a part of a holiday celebration (and our sides were frozen veggies and King's Hawaiian rolls, which do not belong on the food blog.) Without further ado, here's a fantastic Green Bean Casserole. 

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends cut off

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 whole large onion, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste

freshly ground black paper, to taste

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 jar (4 ounces) sliced pimientos, drained

extra milk for thinning, if necessary

1 cup Panko bread crumbs (or French's fried onions)

Directions:

1. Cut green beans in half if you like pieces to be a little smaller.
2. Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans once they're cool and set aside.
3. Add bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon for two minutes, then add diced onion and garlic and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bacon is done (but not crisp) and onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. Turn off heat.
5. Add pimentos to pan, then add bacon/onion mixture. Stir to combine. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and top with panko crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and panko crumbs are golden.

Other Details:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes 

Cook Time: 30 Minutes  

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Entree: Turkey and Butter Bean Casserole

We tried this a few months ago from Clean Eating Magazine. This makes a great substitute for a a big turkey meal for the holidays or during the winter.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 6-oz skinless turkey legs
pinch paprika
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp sea salt
5 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes, divided
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cooked butter beans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. In a large nonstick pan, heat oil on medium-high. Add turkey legs and sprinkle with paprika, pepper and salt. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden.
3. In a 4-qt roasting pan, combine 4 cups broth 2 cups tomatoes, maple syrup, onions, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and beans. Add turkey legs, cover with foil and cook in oven on middle rack for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, add 1/2 cup broth and 1/2 cup tomatoes to pan. 
4. Remove roasting pan from oven and serve.

Other Details:

• Serves 4 
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